Crazy For You
by thetorresmethod
Summary: AU- Based off the song 'Crazy For You' by Adele. Set around the same time that Piper and Alex get sentenced to Litch. When Piper and Alex suddenly meet in the most unexpected place, what will happen?
1. Singing Out Loud Your Name

_***Hi all. I'm new to writing fanfiction so please leave reviews and comments and let me know if it's interesting and if you all would like more. Just to clarify, whenever the text becomes bold, it is a flashback and if the text is in italics it is thoughts of the character. Hope everyone has/had an awesome day!***_

_"__Found myself today  
Singing out loud your name  
You said I'm crazy,  
If I am I'm crazy for you"_

Walking from her bedroom through her Upper East Side loft, Alex sleepily turned on the low kitchen light and started a pot of coffee. Noticing that the radio was on, she walked towards the island in the middle of the kitchen to turn it off, only to stop short at the sudden memory that the song playing was bringing back.

**After a run through the beautiful streets of Paris, Piper walked in on Alex sitting at her laptop with her ear phones in, humming along to the song that was playing. She stopped and stared at the gorgeous beauty that Alex was, and then began to slightly chuckle to herself.**

** "****Am I crazy Al, or did I just hear you make an impromptu song about me?" Piper said grinning.**

**Alex turned around their couch, ripped the earphones out of her ears and immediately turned red. Piper laughed and lazily walked over to where she was sitting and planted a kiss on her forehead.**

** "****I'm not quite sure if it counts as a song Pipes. Mainly it was just me singing 'Piper. Oh Piper. You're gonna be so sexy when you get home. Oh Piper. Maybe I'll fuck you in the shower. Oh Piper," Alex replied back with a smirk.**

** "****So you're the crazy one in this situation then?"**

** "****Only for you. Get back over here. A forehead kiss just isn't going to cut it."**

**Piper walked back towards Alex from the refrigerator and they shared a long, passionate kiss before Piper turned and sauntered towards the bathroom.**

**Looking back towards the couch, "You said something about shower sex?"**

**Alex quickly closed her laptop and scampered towards the blonde who was already undressing while walking through the hallway, and grabbed her from behind. Piper could feel the smirk radiating from Alex's face**

** "****Oh, that'll just be the beginning." **

Blinking her eyes and coming back to reality, Alex groaned inwardly and turned off the radio. Seems like even 10 years later she still couldn't shake the blonde from her memory some times. Whether it was going to Starbucks and remembering her favorite drink, or passing the track field and remembering her deep love of running, the memories seemed to always find a way to sneak back up from the depths that Alex had tried so hard to push them deep within.

Turning to get a mug for her coffee, Alex faintly heard the sound of her phone buzzing and walked back into her bedroom to retrieve it. Checking the clock on the wall and wondering who was calling her so goddamn early in the morning, Alex's eyes grew big with worry as she noticed whose name was filling up her screen.

MORELLO it read, and instantly Alex knew something was wrong. For one, Lorna would never be up this early on a Sunday morning and secondly, Lorna never called unless something was terribly wrong.

_What the fuck did you do Nichols?!_


	2. Sitting in the Dark

**Hey everyone. Here's the second chapter. I've been working on it all day so I hope you like it. Please leave reviews, comments, and likes. Hope you have/had an awesome day! -GW**

_"__Sometimes sitting in the dark  
Wishing you were here  
Turns me crazy  
But it's you who makes me lose my head"_

Alex slammed her iPhone down on the table and stood speechless with her mouth hung open. As realization set in, Alex ran back to her room, threw on the jeans that were lazily discarded on the floor the night before and put on the first t-shirt she could find. Rushing back into the kitchen, Alex turned off the coffeepot, the lights, and grabbed her phone and jacket, ready to run out of the loft. After taking two steps out the door she looked down, groaned, and ran back into her apartment.

_You don't have fucking time for this Vause!_

Bursting through the emergency room, Alex ran to the desk and frantically starting asking for the room number of a patient named Nicky Nichols. The nurses tried to calm Alex down and explain to her that patient Nichols was currently in operation and she couldn't see her.

"I could give less than a fuck about hospital policy! I need to see my fucking best friend and if you don't give me the goddamn room number I will tear through this entire hospital until I find her!

As the security guard standing guard at the door started towards Alex, she turned and gave her most menacing glare.

"DON'T fucking touch me. I'm not going anywhere. "

As Alex continued to rant, Lorna emerged from the bathroom and ran to Alex, tears streaming down her face.

"Lorna! Where is she!? What the fuck is going on?!"

"Nicky is. . . . she's hurt Alex. Really bad. She was on her way back to the apartment and she got hit by a car. She would have been fine if the car's headlight didn't smash into the pole on the corner and a shard of glass didn't cut a blood vessel open. But it did. And now she's here. She lost so much blood Alex she had to have a transfusion. I don't know how her heart will take it. I don't know how my heart will take it! I'm so scared!" Lorna said as she burst into a new wave of tears.

Alex tried to hold back her own flood of tears threatening to spill over and did her best to soothe Lorna.

Four hours later, the doctor came into the waiting room and Alex and Lorna rushed towards him and barraged him with a slew of questions. The doctor held up his hand to silence them and told them the one thing that made their hearts stop racing with fear.

"She's fine. She woke up about 20 minutes ago, but she's still a little drowsy so take it easy on her."

The doctor led them through the winding hallways and finally stopped at the room that Nicky was lying in. Lorna let out a small whimper and her eyes misted over while Alex just stood and stared speechless. Nicky looked over at Lorna's noise and motioned for her to come over. Lorna walked over to Nicky and enveloped her in the tightest hug one could imagine while letting her tears silently roll down her face. Nicky hugged her back with eyes closed and began consoling her with sweet nothings. After the couple had their moment, Nicky looked over at Alex and smirked.

"Hey Vause. Don't you look like a pile of shit today."

"Likewise my friend, but since you came this close to death today, I might just leave you alone," Alex said as she walked over to Nicky and gave her a tight hug. "Don't you ever do something this stupid again Nichols, or I will be the one to kick your ass."

"Oh don't get all sappy shit on me Vause. It's not like I asked to get run over by some dill hole this morning."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just shut it Nicky. So I'm shit starving and would really like to eat something. Not to mention I didn't have my cup of coffee," Alex turned and looked at Lorna who grinned sheepishly, "So I think I'm going to head out and grab something quick. You two need anything? Food? Something from the apartment?"

"Well….what I would really like right now Vause, I don't think you'd like to administer, so no, I'm good," Nicky said with a smirk and a glance towards Lorna.

As Lorna and Alex both caught on to what she was saying, Lorna turned red and Alex just shook her head.

"You got her Lorna? Because that is something I hope I never have to do," Alex said with a laugh. She sauntered out of the room and let out a huge breath of air that she didn't even realize she was holding in.

Around 6pm, Alex walked back into the room and stopped short at the sight before her. Nicky was fast asleep, but Lorna was sitting in the chair across from her bed staring at her with adoration. Alex cleared her throat and Lorna turned around with a bashful smile.

"You two are so cute. Sometimes so cute it makes me want to throw up, but cute nonetheless," Alex said as she walked over to the two of them.

"Oh shutup, Vause," Lorna said with a smile. "But seriously Alex, Nicky is very lucky to have to you as her best friend. We both are."

"It's nothing Morello. I know that if it were me in that hospital bed, Nicky would be doing the same thing. Now you, go eat. You probably haven't ingested anything at all today. I'll stay with her and everything will be perfectly fine."

Lorna reluctantly got up and looked at Alex. "I don't know Alex…..what if something happens while I'm gone?"

"Trust me Lorna. Nothing'll happen. Go get something to eat and maybe even head home to catch a quick nap before you pull the all-nighter I know you have planned.

"Okay Alex. But call me if anything happens."

"Yes, yes. Now go. We'll both be right here when you get back."

After Lorna left the room, Alex sat down in the chair and stretched out her legs. Trying to get comfortable, Alex pulled out the book she had just bought at the Barnes and Nobles across the street.

"I guess it's just you and me Nichols."

**"****Come on Al, let's go out tonight. I heard there's this really great club that just opened up. I feel like dancing," Piper said as she began dancing around the coffee table.**

**"****Okay kid. We can do whatever you want tonight, as long as we can do whatever I want when we get back," Alex said seductively.**

**Piper grinned and left the room to go get dressed. Around 10 that night they arrived at Jupiter, the newest hot spot in town, and Piper hit the dance-floor immediately. At first she was dancing circles around Alex, but Alex quickly loosened up and they danced together for hours. **

**They headed towards the bar around 2, and when Piper leaned against the counter, Alex wrapped her arm protectively around her waist. Piper ordered them both a drink, or at the very least tried to, not really concentrating when Alex began nibbling on her neck.**

**"****Can we head home now? Your dancing has me craving more and your dress is getting in the way of that."**

**"****Alex….Alex….Al….stop…." Piper tried to get out a coherent sentence as Alex began sucking on her neck and rubbing up against Piper's backside.**

**"****I'll stop. When you say we can go," Alex said, smiling against her neck. Alex continued to torture Piper like this, alternating between her neck and her earlobe until Piper couldn't take it anymore.**

**"****Okay Al. Yes. We can go home. But do believe I will make you pay for this when we get there."**

**"****That is perfectly fine with me Pipes," Alex said as she grabbed Piper's hand and they ran out of the club to catch a cab.**

Alex awoke suddenly from her dream. Guessing by the darkness of the sky, it was around 8pm and Alex groaned at the realization. Alex put her glasses back on the bridge of her nose and shook her head as though that would clear her head of the memory. Her dream had been a flashback of one of her and Piper's first dates, one that ended with perhaps the best sex she had ever had in her entire life.

_Oh Piper. I can't believe I still fucking miss you. You fucking left me when my mother died and I'm still having dreams about you._

Alex shook her head again and glanced over at Nicky who was still sound asleep.

"Look at you Nichols. Someone should really get a brush to that mane of yours."

"I can hear you Vause. I'm not actually asleep. I also heard you a couple of minutes ago calling out for Piper. You really aren't over her yet are you?"

"Look Nichols. Just don't talk about it. I'm not proud of it so leave me alone."

"Uh-huh, I bet you wish that blonde was here right now." Nicky smirked as she was greeted with silence. Alex looked towards the door as she heard someone walking through the hallway.

"Pi…Piper?!"

"Alex?!"

They both looked on at each other in sheer bewilderment and were both too afraid to speak.

"Well shit, Vause. Looks like someone's answering your prayers mighty fast today."


	3. Crumbling Fool

***Yes. I know. It's been like three months and I am so, so sorry. Between regents and graduating I have had literally no time to do anything. I've had this chapter written for about a month now and I am finally uploading it. I also have the next two and a half chapters written and I hope to get them typed and uploaded by today and tomorrow. Again, I am so sorry, but I am so excited to get back to writing. Please leave reviews on any questions or concerns you have and I'll be sure to answer them as quick as I can. Happy reading! –GW***

_"__And every time I'm meant to be acting sensible  
You drift into my head  
And turn me into a crumbling fool"_

"Wh-What are you doing here?"

"Oh..um…Nicky had a little accident earlier," Alex said as she glanced behind her.

"Piper."

"Hey, Nicky."

Nicky eyed her for a second, grunted, then rolled over on her side to face the other way.

"Is um…is she okay?"

Alex was suddenly hit with a wave of emotion. They were in this exact position 10 years ago when they had first met.

**Nicky had bronchitis and Alex was sleeping over in the hospital that night. Piper was there for a friend who had a broken leg and while walking down the hallway after her visit, she stopped short at the beauty before her. Standing in the doorway was a raven-haired woman who stood at about 5'10 and had curves in all the right places. Feeling she was being watched, the woman turned around and saw Piper standing there. After taking a moment to check her out, she chuckled and shook her head. **

**"****Hey Kid, anybody ever told you not to stare?"**

**Piper blinked a couple of times and snapped out of her trance. "Yeah. Sorry. I just…nothing."**

**Alex smirked. She knew what kind of effect she had on men and women alike. However, she knew exactly who she wanted right then, so she stretched out her hand and introduced herself.**

**"****It's okay. I'm Alex. You?"**

**As Alex smoothly leaned back against the door frame, she readjusted her glasses and tilted her head to the side.**

**"****I'm Piper, Alex. Nice to meet you."**

**Glancing behind Alex, Piper's eyes flickered to the dirty blonde in the hospital bed who looked to be sleeping.**

**"****Is she okay?" Piper asked, nodding towards her.**

". . .Alex?"

"Huh? Oh, right. Yeah. Yes. She's fine. She got into a car accident this morning and had to have a blood transfusion, but you know Nicky. She's a trooper."

"Hell yeah I am!" Nicky shouted over her shoulder.

Both women laughed in response before stopping abruptly as the realization set in. It was **the** Piper. It was **the** Alex. They both looked on at each other with the mix of emotions swirling in their eyes and the awkward energy rolling back and forth between them. After a few beats of this passed, Alex opened her mouth to say something, but Piper coughed and shifted nervously to try to break the tension.

"Do you um . . . do you want to grab a coffee or something? I know it's late and all but I wouldn't want you to come back here drunk because then Nicky might need you and the hospital might not let you back in but only if you want to 'cause you know you probably hate me and all so you probably don't want to go-"

"Piper," Alex said, cutting her off, "I'll go. I need something to wake me up anyway. Besides, I wasn't the lightweight in this relationship, or don't you remember?"

"You will?!" Piper squeaked, as her cheeks turned a dark shade of crimson.

"Hey Vause, can you come over here for a second? I'm having a little trouble with. .this wire-thingy," Nicky asked, calling over her shoulder.

"Yes Piper, I'll come. I'll meet you in the lobby in what, five minutes?"

Um . . . yeah . . . cool. Lobby. Five minutes." Piper awkwardly backed up and then ran/walked back in the direction that she came from.

Silence ensued for a couple of seconds until Alex walked over to Nicky, who, at some point, sat up and was watching her, and sighed in frustration.

"Fuck me."

"Any day of the week Vause, but I'm not quite sure Lorna would approve. And you were just staring at Chapman's ass, so I don't want to get my feelings hurt once you decide to get back with her.

"Shut up you asshole! You're supposed to be helping me here!" Alex cried in desperation.

"Did you not hear me calling you over after you sold your soul to that blonde-haired devil? Again?! Why the fuck would you say yes?!

"Because! It's Piper! She just- ugh! What am I going to do?! I can barely think straight."

"Well look at that. It's been 10 years and a certain somebody is _still_pussy-whipped."

"Shut the entire fuck up Nicky," Alex growled. "At least I'm not the one who wears correlated outfits with their girlfriend."

"You're also not the one getting laid every night. And even if you are, which I don't doubt one second, you know as well as I do that it means absolutely nothing to you. Now go, put on some of that eyeliner that you love so much, get your shit together, and go get your girl back.

"If only it was that easy."

"Oh but it is. At the very least she wants to talk to you. Now go and get out of here with all of your dyke drama."

"What would I do without you Nicky?"

"A lot of insensible shit. Now go! And bring me back a latte."

"Do you really need caffeine?"

"Do I look like I really care?"

Alex nodded and proceeded to walk out the door.

_What the fuck am I getting myself into?_


	4. I'll Leave part 1

**_***Hey guys. I know I said I would have the next couple of chapters up by yesterday, but I was re-reading them and I hated them so I deleted them. I've been writing all day trying to get things perfectly right, but I still don't like the end of this chapter as much as I want to. I know this chapter doesn't have anything to do with the song lyrics but that is because I am splitting this stanza into two, maybe three parts. Obviously, I have no ownership to any of the characters from Orange is The New Black and I am sadly in no way affiliated with Netflix. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy, I'm going to head back onto Tumblr and wait faithfully for the inboxes that never come. Please leave reviews so I know that someone out there is still reading. –GW***_**

_"__Tell me to run and I'll race,  
If you want me to stop I'll freeze,  
And if you want me gone, I'll leave  
Just hold me closer, baby,  
And make me crazy for you  
Crazy for you"_

~ elevator music playing ~

_This thing really can't go any faster?_

Alex was on the elevator, leaning in the far left corner, fiddling with her glasses in an attempt to keep sane. She had been on the elevator for four minutes now, stopping at every level from the 14th down, sub sequentially making her two minutes late.

_So much for trying to be early._

The elevator finally stopped at the lobby with a ding, and Alex let out a huge sigh of relief. Looking around, Alex contemplated how long she would wait for the blonde to show up. After 1o minutes passed, she'd figured she'd been stood up.

_I mean really. If she didn't want to get coffee, why'd she ask me out in the first place?!_

Frustrated and part hurt, even if she didn't want to admit it to herself, Alex turned and started back towards the elevators. After a few steps, she felt the splash of piping hot liquid across her abdomen, followed immediately by the impact of a body.

"What the fuck?! Come on, watch your step. People don't ask to be fricken' sprayed with- coffee- in the middle of a hospital lobby. Could you not be a klutz next time and watch where you're fucking going?!"

"Geez Alex, I see you still get pissy over little things," Pipe said while attempting to clean up the sopping mess that was now her shirt.

Alex was halfway across the hallway when she heard Piper and abruptly stopped and twisted on her heel.

"So you stand me up, go out and by coffee for who? Your boyfriend? Spill said coffee all over me and then insult me? You have got to be kidding me.

"First of all Alex, I did not stand you up and I don't have a fucking boyfriend. I went out and bought coffee for both of us because I figured we could walk and talk instead of sitting down at some coffee shop and pretend to act like strangers."

"Well that wouldn't be my fault know would it?" Alex said with a challenging look at Piper.

"Don't start with me Alex. I left because of my own reasons. And you know that-"

"I know that?! No the fuck I don't Piper Chapman. I came back from going to buy _us_ breakfast to finding you and all of your stuff gone. Oh, and a note on my laptop saying, 'I love you but I have to leave'. A fucking note! What kind of bullshit was that Piper!? Huh? Because I have yet to hear any _reasons_ from you."

Piper turned away with a hurt look on her face.

"Oh no. You don't get to have that look on your face. You don't have any right to. _You _left _me_. End of story.

"Look Al, do you want to get coffee or not? I'll. . .I'll explain everything if you come and get coffee with me, okay? Besides, I don't think you really want to have this conversation in the middle of a hospital lobby."

Alex looked up and realized that almost everyone in the lobby was looking at the pair.

"Whatever, let's go," Alex said as she stalked out of the huge double doors that led to the busy streets of the city.

Piper glanced back and forth between Alex's face and her coffee mug as the pair walked away from the Starbucks.

"So um . . . how's work?

Alex gave Piper a hard look before sighing and drinking a gulp from her cup.

"Well, I got fired. I made the mistake of bringing in my girlfriend to watch me do my show one night and let's just say the new manager caught us in a compromising position. I mean, we were only kissing, but add in the fact that he has stage 8 homophobia and my hand may or may not have been up her shirt, you can see how it didn't end well for me."

"So you have a girlfriend?"

"Is that really all you got from that? And why do you care anyway? You left me, remember?"

"About that Alex, I need to tell you something."

"What do you need to tell me that is so important?

"When I- remember when you had that radio conference that you went to and me and Lorna went to keep you and Nicky company?"

"Yeah?"

"Well um . . . when you went to do your panel I went to go find lunch and I got lost. When I stopped and asked for directions, this guy . . he um . . . he-"

Piper stopped midsentence as her phone started ringing and shot an apologetic look towards Alex as she dug through her bag to answer it.

"Hey Neri, what's going on? - Really? - Are you serious right now? - Okay, okay. - I'll be home in 15 minutes. Get him his blue monkey and a cup of apple juice and that should hold him until I get there. - Okay, okay. - See you soon. Tell him momma loves him. Bye."

"Piper. Did I just hear you refer to yourself as Momma?"

"Yeah . . . That's what I've been trying to tell you. But it is a very long story and I kind of have to get home." Piper stopped and looked up at Alex.

"Geez kid. You leave me, show back up ten years later with a kid, and then I offer you a ride home. There is something so wrong with this picture."

Alex turned back towards the hospital and started walking back the three blocks that they had gone. Piper snapped out of her shock and skip-walked to keep up with Alex's long strides.

"You're offering me a ride?"

"Yes, Piper. Seems something is wrong with that kid of yours. Besides, now you have no excuse to telling me why you decided to leave all of this," Alex said as she gestured towards herself.

"Alex . . ."

"Look, Piper. Shut up and get in the car before I change my mind."

Alex pulled out her keys as they approached a black Buick Lacrosse and Alex pointedly looked at Piper.

"Okay, okay. I'll give you directions as you drive," Piper said as she got in the car.

"And you'll give me all of your damn _reasons_."


	5. I'll Leave part 2

_***** I really hope you guys enjoy this chapter, I got the idea for the entirety of the backstory on Monday and I have been writing ever since. I may even make the next chapter a part 3 for these same lyrics. This chapter mentions rape (not in detail but nonetheless), if you choose not to read it I'll write a recap in the next chapter so no worries. Vauseman will come eventually, I promise. Obviously not affiliated with OITNB or Netflix. Shout out to**__ The Sunshine J__**, thanks for the review 3 -GW*****_

"_Tell me to run and I'll race,  
If you want me to stop I'll freeze,  
And if you want me gone, I'll leave  
Just hold me closer, baby,  
And make me crazy for you  
Crazy for you"_

"Make a left."

Alex turned on her blinkers and looked over at the woman in her passenger seat, trying to contemplate whether or not she was actually there, or was it all just a dream.

"Keep going straight for like 5 minutes."

"Are you going to keep giving me directions like we didn't have a deal? To be honest Piper, the silence is kinda creeping me out."

"Alex. ."

"Come on. How bad could it be? Just tell me why you broke my heart on the day my mother died."

Alex's attempt at lightening the mood quickly went south. She looked at Piper one last time before putting her eyes back on the road.

"Long version or short?"

Alex looked over once again and lifted one eyebrow.

"Long version it is. Okay. I haven't really told somebody the entire story before so just um, just bear with me okay?"

Alex nods her head and just keeps on driving.

"Okay. So yeah. You know the radio conference that I went with you to? The one in Paris."

"Yes," Alex says dryly, vaguely remembering her dream from the night before.

"Well um. . .you and Nicky were on a panel, the one focusing on the conference's 20th anniversary right? I had decided to go looking around because I was bored and I had to pee so I just got up and left to go find a bathroom. I um. . I left the conference room and went downstairs and somewhere along the way I made a left but it turned out to just be a dark dead end. I had a feeling I was being watched, weird I know, so I was kinda creeped out so I tried to turn around to go back to the main hallway but. . ."

Alex slowed down at the red light and looked over at Piper who was looking out the window, clearly struggling not to cry.

"Pipes. . .what happened?"

"Sorry. Um. Right. I tried to turn around but there this was guy right behind me. He started groping me and wouldn't stop when I told him to and when I tried to scream he just slapped his hand over my mouth and told me to shut-up and that the more I cooperated the faster it would end. To this day I still don't know who he is, but he. . .he raped me Al. That's why I left."

Alex took a deep breath and clutched the steering wheel so tight that her knuckles were a pure white.

"I am so, so, so sorry Piper. If there was anything I could now to be able to turn back the clock and make sure that never happened you know I would do it in a heartbeat. Trust me. And if, and when, I find the fucking asshole who did that to you I will make sure he pays for the rest of his life."

"Says the famous radio host. Thanks Alex, because it does mean a lot to me for you to say that, but I doubt that there is anything you could do about it now. Make a right in three lights by the way."

Alex shook her head and tried to inconspicuously wipe away the tears that had formed in her eyes.

"Besides. If. . .that never happened, I wouldn't have my son. He's the only reason I kept going for about 6 months. Post-partum depression, anxiety, and a whole bunch of other shit. Wasn't the best time in my life."

"While I am glad that you were able to give life to this world, no doubt with some dumb-ass, I still don't understand why you left me. I wouldn't have just left you. God Piper. I fucking loved you. I was willing to do anything for you and you just left. I would've stuck by your side through all of it. I would've been there each and every night. I would have even let Nicky take over the station for as long as you needed me to. Why Piper? Why'd you leave me?"

Alex's voice was full of emotion as she looked up at the hood of the car, trying to stop the flood of tears from falling.

"Al. . .I can't . . . I just. I just couldn't bear to see your face again, okay? I wasn't even supposed to stay that night. That's why I slept on the couch. I had all my stuff packed already. I knew you would be tired so you wouldn't try to bring me to bed. I booked my ticket back to the states that night, I wasn't even supposed to know that your mom died. It killed me knowing. I sat in the hallway outside crying for 20 minutes listening to you cry and then listening to the phone call you got from your aunt. I hid in the stairwell when you came up with breakfast. You don't think I felt like shit? You don't think I felt like pure and utter horse shit? I just wanted to go back in and hug you until you fell asleep but I knew that once you knew what happened you wouldn't want me anym0re so I left. I left Alex. And I cried the entire way to the airport, the entire plan ride, the entire time in Polly's car, and then for about a month afterwards. Polly was ready to call the psych-ward on me. I just couldn't stop crying. I cried for you. I cried for me. I cried for your mom. I just cried for everything. I didn't even know the body could produce that many tears."

Alex just shook her head. "What am I supposed to say to that, huh? That I didn't do the same and that I went and fucked a new girl each night to make me feel better? No. I can't say that. Because I didn't. I didn't move from my bed for 3 weeks besides when Nicky forced me to get dressed and go to my moms' funeral. I spent the entire time wasted and drowning in my own tears."

"Alex. That was never what I wanted. I just wanted you to be able to keep living your life without me tagging along and dragging you down with my issues. I thought I was doing what was best for you."

"But that wasn't your decision to make. There's nothing more that I wanted than you next to me throughout the whole thing. And for you to think that you could ever drag me down? Utter bullshit. You could never, ever, do that to me. No matter what."

By that point they both had glistening eyes and wet faces. They just looked at each other with mixed emotions swirling through their thoughts.

Alex made the right and Piper looked out the window.

"We're here. I gotta go." Piper scribbled something on an old receipt that she found in her bag as Alex slowed to a stop in front of a white townhouse. "Here's my number. Call me or text me tomorrow, okay?" Piper said as she grabbed her bag from the floor and reached to open the door.

"Uh . . . okay . . . but. . . Piper wait!"

Piper turned around and looked at Alex questioningly.

"Good luck. With your kid I mean. And I'm sorry . . . about everything."

Piper opened her mouth to say something before changing her mind and reaching out to give Alex a hug. "Thanks Al. . .thanks."

Piper climbed out of the car and rushed up the stairs while grabbing for her keys in her bag. Alex watched on as she ran into her apartment and kicked the door closed before realizing why the bag looked so familiar.

Alex leaned back and groaned out loud.

"What. In the entire. Fuck."


End file.
